Water conservation must be a priority: Cabinet Secretary Pradeep Kumar Sinha

Nizamabad: Cabinet Secretary Pradeep Kumar Sinha said water conservation should be given utmost importance while addressing the district collectors on 'Jal Bharat Abhiyan' through a video conference from Delhi on Thursday.

He urged the Chief Secretaries of States and the district administrations to consider alternative measures to conserve surface and groundwater levels and told them to take steps for rainwater harvesting, which otherwise flows into drains and ends up in the sea or water ponds. "Now it is the time to take measures for saving water. If not, there will be absolutely no water for future generations," he warned.

The Cabinet Secretary said that efforts have been initiated to implement Jal Bharat Abhiyan programme in 1,592 blocks in 257 districts in the country. He stated that the authorities and technicians under the aegis of the Central government will take necessary action in the selected blocks. Sinha recalled that Mission Kakatiya water conservation initiatives in Telangana are giving good results.

District Collector MRM Rao suggested to share Jal Bharat Abhiyan with Panchayat Raj, forest and rural development departments, Employment Guarantee Scheme workers, Anganwadi workers, Asha workers, farmers, and village sarpanch.

Kamareddy District Collector Dr N Satyanarayana and other district officials have participated in the video conference.